Biotechnology focuses on using biological systems, organisms, and molecular processes to develop applications in medicine, agriculture, materials science, and environmental research. Many universities and institutions now offer biotechnology programs that prepare students for this rapidly evolving field. Modern biotechnology spans areas such as genetic engineering, CRISPR-based genome editing, protein engineering, bioinformatics, and translational medicine.
Biotechnology programs for high school students are structured to introduce you to both experimental (“wet lab”) techniques and computational analysis, reflecting how real-world research labs operate today. Because biotechnology is inherently applied, these programs often emphasize hypothesis-driven research, data interpretation, and reproducibility rather than memorization-heavy coursework.
Why should you choose a biotechnology program?
You move well beyond standard classroom biology and into research-style learning. You might perform techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for DNA amplification, gel electrophoresis for nucleic acid or protein separation, and immunoassays for molecular detection. Some programs also introduce cell culture, protein purification, or enzyme kinetics, depending on the lab focus.
On the computational side, many programs expose you to bioinformatics workflows. This can include analyzing genomic or transcriptomic datasets using tools like BLAST, learning basic scripting in Python or R, or visualizing molecular structures with software such as PyMOL.
Below is a curated list of 15 biotechnology programs for high school students, selected for their academic rigor, credibility, and accessibility. If you’re deciding how biotechnology fits into your longer-term academic plans, you may also want to explore related pathways, such as biology internships for high school students here and remote biology research opportunities for high school students here.
15 Biotechnology Programs for High School Students
1. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Dates: Six weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Mid-December | Around 100 students are selected per batch
Eligibility: High school juniors aged 16+
RSI is an excellent option to experience the entire biotechnology research cycle at the advanced facilities of MIT. You will conduct an individual research project under the mentorship of a principal investigator. The curriculum is based on the work of actual researchers in modern labs, requiring you to read current literature, design a research plan, and execute experiments to generate the data needed for your research topic. Past topics have included research questions in areas like computational biology, biophysics, and genomics. You will also learn to draft a professional conference-style paper and deliver oral presentations. Each year, 5 of the best presentations and papers are selected for honors by a distinguished panel of experts.
2. Summer Science Program (SSP) in Biochemistry
Location: Varies by year, depending on campus partner
Cost: While the maximum program fee is $11,800, all participants pay on a sliding scale based on family income, with families earning below $75,000 receiving a full scholarship and travel expenses
Dates: Five weeks in the summer, starting mid to late June | Specific dates vary by research topic and location
Application Deadline: January 29 (international applicants) | February 19 (domestic applicants)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors at least 15 years old who have completed or are in the process of completing any level of high school biology and chemistry by June for credit and a grade
The Summer Science Program’s Biochemistry track has a different focus each year, such as the specific biochemical challenge of characterizing a fungal enzyme and designing a small-molecule inhibitor. You will work in teams of three to perform wet-lab techniques, including bacterial transformation, protein purification, and enzyme kinetics assays. The computational component will require molecular modeling to simulate molecular dynamics, inhibitor optimization, and homology modeling. By the end of the program, you will generate a poster and a written report detailing the information generated about your fungal enzyme.
3. The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program (SSP)
Location: Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME or Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT
Cost: No cost | Interns are paid a stipend of $7,000
Dates: May 30–August 7 (Ban Harbor) | May 30–August 10 (Farmington)
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors aged 18 years old by start date, and are U.S. citizens or residents
At the Jackson Laboratory, you will join a research group focused on how genetics and genomics shape biological systems. You will work with an experienced Jackson researcher to join an ongoing research program and contribute to the lab’s work. You will learn core topics such as genetic testing, data visualization, science communication, and peer review. Weekly journal club meetings and formal and informal networking events round out the experience and provide a holistic view of future careers in genetic research.
4. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: Free | Scholars are provided a $750 stipend
Dates: June 21–August 6
Application Deadline: February 16 | Limited to only 12 students
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors at least 17 years old | Must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
As a Clark Scholar, you will work directly with faculty members in hands-on research roles. While the program covers various disciplines, the Biology/Cellular & Microbiology track allows you to engage in wet-lab research. You might investigate microbial drug resistance, protein folding mechanisms, or plant biotechnology. The program requires you to produce a formal research report, pushing you to refine your scientific writing and data analysis skills.
5. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: No tuition | Stipend awarded at the end of the program
Dates: June 29–August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are 16 or older | Must be U.S. citizens/permanent residents
At the fully funded Simons Summer Research program, you will be matched with a faculty mentor to serve as a full member of a research team and collaborate on ongoing research. Research topics vary according to the mentors available. You can work on research in biochemistry, cell biology, biomedical informatics, microbiology, or neurobiology. The program emphasizes early engagement with research methodology, requiring you to write an abstract and produce a research poster.
6. Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces Summer Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: $4,000 lab fees + an additional ~$2,500 for housing
Dates: June 24–August 7
Application Deadline: February 23
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+ with a GPA of 3.8, who have standardized test scores of at least 60 percentile, and who have taken at least 3 of the following courses: English, Chemistry, Mathematics/Calculus, Physics, or Biology.
This program sits at the intersection of materials science and biotechnology. You will explore polymer physics and its applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, and biomaterials. You might synthesize hydrogels for cell encapsulation or analyze surface properties using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The curriculum focuses heavily on rigorous experimental validation and offers the opportunity to be a co-author on peer-reviewed publications.
7. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: The program is fully funded | Interns are paid a minimum stipend of $500
Dates: June 8–July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Current juniors and seniors graduating in the next two years, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and 16+ by the start date
SIMR is an 8-week research-intensive program at the Stanford Institutes of Medicine that offers distinct tracks in areas such as Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Cancer Biology, Genomics and Bioengineering. You will work in a specific lab to answer a biomedical question, learning to employ CRISPR-Cas9 editing or cell culture techniques in a professional research setting. The bioengineering track specifically challenges you to prototype biomedical devices or develop computational models of physiological systems. You will present your findings via a poster session, defending your methodology and conclusions to the faculty.
8. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Cost: No cost | Scholars earn a $3,600 stipend
Dates: June 29–August 7
Application Deadline: January 21
Eligibility: Rising seniors attending a high school in MA, who are US citizens/residents, with a B or better in science and math classes and a passion for science
BBSP is a rare opportunity to work at a leading genomics research center. Projects span a wide range of subjects across biology and genomics, including computational biology that may have you analyzing large datasets from the Cancer Dependency Map or other genomic libraries. You will actually be contributing to the research project you’ll be assigned to, carrying out significant lab work under the guidance of your mentor. The program concludes with a scientific poster presentation to the Broad community.
9. NIH High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)
Location: National Institutes of Health campuses (e.g., Bethesda, MD; others nationwide)
Cost: No cost | Interns earn a stipend based on education level (varies by institute)
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer (typically June–August)
Application Deadline: February 18
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors aged 17+ with a permanent home address within 40 miles of an NIH campus
This program lets you conduct biomedical research in the highly advanced facilities of the National Institutes of Health. You might work in the National Cancer Institute or the National Human Genome Research Institute. Depending on the project, your daily tasks could involve maintaining cell lines, performing immunoassays, or analyzing sequencing data. It’s a great opportunity to explore the public health applications of biotechnology and understand the translational potential of basic science discoveries.
10. Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Student Research Internship
Location: Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
Cost: No cost
Dates: June 1–August 7 | June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 years old or above
This program is primarily focused on translational medicine, digital health and their applications. You will work with a mentor on projects that may involve genomic sequencing, analysis of wearable sensor data, or mobile health applications. You will learn to handle “big data” in a biomedical context, applying statistical methods to identify health trends or genetic markers. It’s a good way to learn the practical applications of biotechnology in different fields. The internship culminates in a presentation at the institute’s research meeting.
11. BU RISE Internship Track
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Cost: $5,930 tuition | Limited financial aid is available
Dates: June 28–August 7
Application Deadline: February 4
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
In the Internship track, you will commit 40 hours per week to a research project in a departmental laboratory. You can choose from research in Biology or Biomedical Engineering, or even more specialist tracks like Neurobiology, Biochemistry, or Biophysics. You will be able to develop both academic and technical skills, such as proficiency in microscopy, spectroscopy, or electrophysiology. The program requires a final poster presentation where you must articulate your experimental parameters and statistical significance.
12. Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP)
Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Cost: $7,500 | Financial aid is available, as are merit- and need-based scholarships
Dates: June 17–July 24
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-11
The SSTP assigns you to a research group at the University of Iowa, pursuing a project in a field like Biomedical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, or Cell Biology. You will learn to maintain laboratory notebooks compliant with academic standards and may perform RNA isolation or protein expression assays, depending on the project you’re running. The work is team-based, teaching you exactly how a professional research group in a real lab operates. The program concludes with you producing a scientific poster that summarizes your research and findings, providing a crash course in scientific communication and presentation.
13. UC Davis Young Scholars Program (UCD-YSP)
Location: University of California Davis, Davis, CA
Cost: $7,750
Dates: June 21–August 1
Application Deadline: March 1 | Limited to only 40 students
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors 16+ years old who are permanent US residents
This residential program connects you with research in biological, environmental, and agricultural sciences. The research projects available vary each year, though past projects have focused on plant genetics, phylogenetics, or ecology. You will work on an independent project, collect and analyse original data by actually performing experiments in the lab, under the guidance of UC Davis research mentors. The program requires you to write a journal-quality paper and present your findings in a symposium, focusing on the defense of your data analysis.
14. University of Florida Student Science Training Program (UF-SSTP)
Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $5,500
Dates: June 7–July 25
Application Deadline: April 15 for Florida students | April 1 for others
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors 16+ years old
At UF’s SSTP, you will spend roughly 30 hours a week in a research laboratory. There are multiple research options available, and placements in the College of Medicine or College of Pharmacy allow for deep dives into pharmaceutics, gene therapy, or immunology. Past projects have included topics such as the application of carbon nanotubes in the energy sector and in cancer biology and therapeutics. The academic part of the program features a science lecture series, an Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar course, and is taught by post-docs and PhD candidates. The research component will have you performing one or several of clinical research, bench research, engineering projects, computer-based projects, or fieldwork, and concludes with the submission of a research paper and the presentation of your work.
15. COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science)
Location: One of 4 campuses: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz
Cost: $5,518 | Financial aid available
Dates: July 5–31
Application Deadline: February 6 | Limited to 160-200 participants per campus
Eligibility: Rising 9th through 12th graders enrolled in a California high school who have a GPA of 3.5 or above
COSMOS is a unique program that offers “clusters” based on specific topics across the 4 campus locations. You can apply for clusters such as Computers in Biophysics & Robotics, Future Foods: Sustainable Aquatic Food Production, Nanomaterials for Accelerating Chemical Reactions, or Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Clusters are small batches of 20-25 students, with a tight student-to-faculty ratio of 5:1. Their curriculum is project-based and hands-on, requiring you to work in teams to design experiments and interpret data using statistical software.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source: Scripps Logo